Moagu - Raster maps on Garmin GPSs!

[+g-o-cashers]

I've heard rumors about Moagu for several weeks now. It basically allows you to georeference raster map data and put the resulting map on your Garmin GPS.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't work on the Colorado yet but the 60/76csx seem to be supported.

 

GO$Rs

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I've heard rumors about Moagu for several weeks now. It basically allows you to georeference raster map data and put the resulting map on your Garmin GPS.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't work on the Colorado yet but the 60/76csx seem to be supported.

 

GO$Rs

 

I've posted a write-up of my experience testing Moagu here. I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work on the Colorado. Maybe some of you with better tech chops than me can get it working.

[reef mapper]

I've heard rumors about Moagu for several weeks now. It basically allows you to georeference raster map data and put the resulting map on your Garmin GPS.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't work on the Colorado yet but the 60/76csx seem to be supported.

 

GO$Rs

 

Many thanks for the heads up! I've been making my own vector IMG maps for the 60Csx but had given up hope of finding a unit that would be able to load my own raster files. All that I know of use only their own source of images or subscriptions. Going to try a piece of an Ikonos image now.

[+coggins]

Moagu looks like a pretty interesting utility.

[-Oz-]

I saw that news earlier today as well. It does look interesting. I am curious to see just how so "slow" is for the draw speed.

[sokolo0]

Use Mapwel. It supports Colorado. http://www.mapwel.biz/

 

Vectorized images from Google - some other maps in background:

 

Vectorized paper map:

 

Christopher

Edited April 23, 2008 by sokolo0

[MtnHermit]

Christopher,

 

Impressive screenshots, thanks for sharing.

[+Thrak]

I just heard of this and came here to post about it. Fortunately, I did a search for moagu first and found this thread. It's a pretty interesting deal.........

[leszekp]

Those are some nice screenshots. The finest minds on the planet (not including me) are looking at why Moagu maps won't work on the Colorado, and hopefully will find a solution soon.

 

Might I point out some advantages of Moagu over MapWel for creating raster images? Some of this is taken from the review of MapWel's rasterization functions at http://travelbygps.com/articles/cartography.php.

 

- MapWel requires a map to be scanned at high-resolutions (0.5 meters per pixel) for good results; Moagu can create a map from any scanned resolution, like the 2.4 meter per pixel topo maps from the USGS I was wrong about this, it actually works better with lesser scan resolutions; I misunderstood.

 

- MapWel won't necessarily work well for areas greater than 1 km x 1 km, with possible rendering/display time issues as you go to larger sizes; Moagu has no such limits. I've created one map 20 km x 20 km on a side.

 

- MapWel gets its best results for 8-10 colors, and has a maximum of 16 colors currently supported (and only 60 maximum possible); Moagu supports 254 colors, the maximum on older units (60C series, 76C series). The Colorado maps shown with sharply drawn lines are vector maps drawn on top of a reduced-color vectorized raster image.

 

- Moagu is also a lot cheaper; $29.95 ($19.95 before 4/30) gets you a copy with no limitations on map distribution. MapWel costs $45 for a version that limits you to one GPS unit, and $90 for an unlimited version.

 

Don't get me wrong - MapWel's a great program, especially for vector maps, and its vectorized rasters might be better for certain kinds of imagery (sharp divisions between areas, small range of colors). But I don't think it could make a raster image comparable to this one created by Moagu:

 

 

Moagu has a free demo mode that lets you create single tiles; give it a shot! http://moagu.com

Edited April 23, 2008 by leszekp

[+Jeff in Pa]

I tried this in the demo mode (only allows a very small section) tried the 1/24th scale and the grey scale. The 1/24th is ok but the redraw for a grey scale was very bad in my 60CSX. I was really hoping for better performance but this is not for me. I suppose Delorme's PN-20 and Xmap are the way to go for better maps.

 

Jeff

[leszekp]

In terms of load time and highest resolution, this can't compete with the deLorme PN-20, certainly for aerial imagery, and even for topo imagery. I will say that once the aerial imagery is loaded, the display will keep up with your position at low speeds; definitely for walking speeds, and even slow biking speeds (up to about 12 mph according to one report I've gotten). So if you can set it at one zoom level and leave it there, it'll do the job; if not, you do need to look elsewhere.

 

This is really intended for those who have a Garmin already, and don't want to cough up $650 bucks for the PN-20/XMap bundle, or buy a PN-20 for $400 bucks and pay for downloaded areas by the square km. Not to mention the PN-20's smaller screen and poorer sensitivity. For $20, it's not a bad deal.

 

I tried this in the demo mode (only allows a very small section) tried the 1/24th scale and the grey scale. The 1/24th is ok but the redraw for a grey scale was very bad in my 60CSX. I was really hoping for better performance but this is not for me. I suppose Delorme's PN-20 and Xmap are the way to go for better maps.

 

Jeff

[reef mapper]

For some people there isn't anything to compare with. These great topo maps that people refer to are available for only a very small portion of the globe. For marine work the coverage is better - great - I can get Blue chart and see the results of mapping done by the British Admiralty in the 1890s.

I don't know of any handheld that can use a calibrated image I have of my project area. I use Delorme's PostPro to post-process carrier phase GPS data to calibrate aerial photos, and while I have been lugging my Thinkpad around doing realtime tracking I'm much happier loading that image onto the Garmin.

[fieldkat]

Has anyone played around much with this?

 

I tried the demo version. It created the image okay--really slow redraw. Didn't get a chance yet to tried out in the woods.

 

Worth the $20 for the full version? (That's a tank...er, half...um, a third of a tank of gas)

 

...

[reef mapper]

I'm still playing with it but it is already a big help with some work applications. It is worth keeping in mind what one compares it to. To me the key aspect is loading my own calibrated image - (including a vertical kite aerial photo today!) of an area not covered by any commercial products. And that is the almost the whole Caribbean for a start.

[CarphuntinGod]

interested to see if someone gets this working on a Vista HCX or Rino 530

[+clic2fois]

I used Moagu. This can be useful. See http://clic0.free.fr/

Best regards

[bike_climber]

interested to see if someone gets this working on a Vista HCX or Rino 530

 

I successfully uploaded both a USGS topo map and a color aerial photo to my VistaCX. The original drawing was very slow -- around 2 minutes, but you can then pan around a tiny bit without forcing a major redraw.

 

It also worked on my 60CS, once I updated to the latest firmware. About the same story speed-wise.

 

I'm anxious to follow the development of this software, and would like to hear others experience with different units, too.

[adkgps]

I was able to create a 7.5 minute USGS map and upload the map to my GPSMap 76CSx using Moagu. The tutorial is easy to follow. It takes several minutes for the 76CSx to display the USGS map but once the image is rendered, hiking progress is accurately displayed.

[+hogrod]

It takes several minutes for the 76CSx to display the USGS map but once the image is rendered, hiking progress is accurately displayed.

 

Several minutes to display the map is way to long, I've heard people say the delorme PN-20 has slow redraws but their claims of 5 second redraws don't seem so bad now. If I want good maps I'll just save the money and not buy Moagu, put that money toward the Pn-20.

[leszekp]

If it's taking several minutes to render the map, you're almost certainly viewing it with Map Detail set to More or Most; doing so will load in data at a higher resolution than that required by the Zoom level. With Map Detail set to Normal, so that the right data loads in for a zoom level, the longest a topo map image should take to load is about 20-25 seconds, and usually faster than that. Even a black-and-white or color aerial image takes less than a minute to render, and they have far more data to display than a topo.

 

It takes several minutes for the 76CSx to display the USGS map but once the image is rendered, hiking progress is accurately displayed.

 

Several minutes to display the map is way to long, I've heard people say the delorme PN-20 has slow redraws but their claims of 5 second redraws don't seem so bad now. If I want good maps I'll just save the money and not buy Moagu, put that money toward the Pn-20.

[ysys05]

Hi All,

 

You may be interested in similar free utility:

http://bmap2mp.webhop.org/bmap2mp.rar

 

No tutorial, no GUI, no web support - but it works somehow

 

Below I give you a couple of links to pages in Russian language but actually you may be interested in links you can find on these pages.

 

Here you can find a link to example of the ready map (Moscow region map) made with using bmap2mp:

http://w.bookwar.org.ru/

 

Here you can find links to some screenshots of program work results in Mapsource compared to source screenshots in OziExplorer:

http://www.gps-forum.ru/cgi-bin/forum/show...p;Number=100188

 

The program is originally designed for Garmins but it is not limited to them. As far as it allows to define exact polygon type for every used color I believe it can be used for other GPSr (Magellan, Lowrance) which has known way to use MP files as source for their maps through any kind of converters. It can be used also for old b/w Garmin Legend/Vista (with their 4 grey level display) but I do not know how slow they will draw the map.

[ysys05]

 

Here you can find a link to example of the ready map (Moscow region map) made with using bmap2mp:

http://w.bookwar.org.ru/

This map was moved to http://rock-et-al.webhost.ru/ArbaletMO/

[snowfleurys]

 

This map was moved to http://rock-et-al.webhost.ru/ArbaletMO/

 

I just got a spyware notification when I went to that site.

[ysys05]

You may be interested in similar free utility:

http://bmap2mp.webhop.org/bmap2mp.rar

 

No tutorial, no GUI, no web support - but it works somehow

BMaP2MP was recently moved to the new address http://ysbits.net/bmap2mp

I would prefer to edit the original message but haven't found a way to do it so replying in this old thread

[Nmw]

Also a way to put any map image on garmin gps

Custom maps

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7B2183bd60-bf34-11de-c454-000000000000%7D

[ysys05]

Also a way to put any map image on garmin gps

Custom maps

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7B2183bd60-bf34-11de-c454-000000000000%7D

Any map image but not on any Garmin gps. No problem to put a map image into modern gps which support this feature from factory. But you cannot put a map image into old gps like 60C/60CS/76C/76CS/LegendC/VistaC etc. In the 2008 when this thread was started Garmin didn't make any gps which would allow you to load a map image, so some strange programs were born to allow people to make some impossible things

[Nmw]

Yes, there are many older units still performing perfectly for the task required and we shouldn't waste resources updating technology unecessarily.